February 16, 2024

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 2/16

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

if you roll your eyes at political correctness

american fiction

Vincent Georgie: Cord Jefferson’s sharp, insightful and very funny satire is a major Oscar contender this year, thanks in major part to tackling issues of race, social progression/regression and faux activism with a disarming intelligence and clear permission to laugh. Oscar-nominated for Best Picture this year, WIFF fans saw this film ahead of its release last Fall at WIFF 2023. Spot-on performances by Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Issa Rae and Erika Alexander, among others.

Synopsis: Monk is a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Available on iTunes, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

if a.i. is on your mind

another body

Vincent Georgie: A conversation-starting film about Deep Fake, through the lens of all too innocent and common victims. This one will have you online for a few hours after the film reading message boards and digging into your own research.

Synopsis: A college student searches for answers and justice after discovering deep-fake pornography of herself circulating online.

Available on iTunes and YouTube. Watch for free on CBC Gem.

if you want a powerful drama

water

Vincent Georgie: WIFF’s very first Opening Night Film back in 2005 was a commanding, moving and immersive drama about the tough crossroads of personal lives and national politics. The film was nominated for an Oscar, representing Canada.

Synopsis: A nightmare unfolds for Jack and Beata Kowalski after they bring their 10-year-old daughter to the ER with unusual symptoms.

Available on Netflix, Crave, Amazon Prime and iTunes.

DOUBLE FEATURE

all hail, robert downey jr

Nominated for an Oscar this year for his impressive performance in Oppenheimer, Downey Jr is a charismatic and unusual actor, who brings a specific comedic talent and focus to every role he plays. Let’s take a look back at his terrific performance as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, in addition to a scene-stealing role opposite Michael Douglas in Wonder Boys.

chaplin

Re-creation of the life of comic genius Charlie Chaplin, from his humble beginnings in south London through his early days in British vaudeville, his silent movie career in America and his late masterpieces. His turbulent personal life saw four marriages and an enforced exile from the US – though he returned to receive an honorary Oscar in 1972.

Available on iTunes and Amazon Prime.

wonder boys

A professor, suffering from writer’s block, tries to deal with the pressures of his complex love life and his troubled students’ assorted problems. Despite the encouragement of one of his admiring female pupils, the professor is obsessed with his current work. He finds release in his friendship with a lonely but gifted student, but the news of his lover’s pregnancy further complicates his already difficult life.